The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-05
And 70 m Attempt to Prove That
Cleveland Was and Is
Disl0yal
ACCORDING TO THE RADICAL IN.
TERPRErATION.
A Bitter, Incorporating and Un'
kindly Speech, in Which the
Senator Ia
ESPECIALLY SEVERE UPON TIE
SOUTHERN STATES,
And Is Full Of Hate and Malice
Toward the Southern Ap.
poIntees Of Cleveland.

Senator John Sherman delivered
speech before the Illinois Legislature
that is an adroit appeal for the ex-
treme Radical vote OF that State. IL
isas different in tone, when compared
with his recent Nashville speech, as
fit had been delivered by another
person Of opposing views. Senator
Sherman, after describing the birth
OF the Republican party, and refer
ring to its great work in guiding the
ship Of state through the perils Of
civil war, paid q tribute TO the mem
ory of John A. Logan, and then
drew a contrast between the two
great political parties OF the day.
Speaking OF the Democratic party
during the war, he said: ut gath
cred in its folds knights Of the Gold
en- Circle, the mob rioters Of New
York and the bounty jumpers and
shirks. 1t held reasonable corre-
spondenee with rebel emissaries on
our Canadian border and conveyed
intelligence to the enemy in most
critical periods OF the war. Itavail-
ed itself Of the apathy Of critical mo-
ments and seized upon the Temporal
~ advantage caused by the issuing
of the proclamation by President
Lincoln and the absence Of our SOL
diers in the field, snatched victories
at the elections with view to Grip
pie and weaken the administration,
and, next to the armed forces under
Gen. Lee, was the most dangerous en-
envy of the Republic during the
fearful four years struggle Of our
civil war. 1t sought, under the cry
of illegal arrests, to make a promi
nent citizen OF Ohio, who had melted
riots and resistance to the draft,
Governor Of Ohio. 1t met in con-
clave at Chicago when Gen. Grant
was fighting his way through the
Wilderness and Gen. Sherman was
at the gates OF Atlanta, and declared
the war a failure. and demanded
peace at any terms and cessation OF
hostilities, and placed upon this plat
form q Union soldier OF merit, who
promptly and in emphatic language
In his letter of acceptance repudiated
the disloyal position in which the
platform sought to place him. doubt
If the civil history Of any government
presents a more unpatriotic and dis
honorable position than that occupied
by the Northern wing of the Demo
cratic party during the civil war.
While patriotic Democrats were fol-
lowing the advice of Douglas and the
example Of Logan, and side by side
with the Republican hosts, were
fighting to preserve the Union, the |
remnant ofthe Northern Democracy,
in possession of the party organiza
ton, used it practically in aid OF the
rebellion, As to the Southern wing
of the Democratic party, they at |
least had during the war the courage |
OF their convictions. Led by false |
theories and local pride into armed |
resistance, they did maintain their
cause with even more than the cour-
age and sacrifices of the Loyalists of
La Vendee. While condemning their
cause we can respect their fidelity to
It and the sincerity Of their mo-
tives."
The speaker then described the
suppression of free ballot in the
South during the period of recon
struction, and continued: And,
fellow citizens, this is not thing of
the past. 1t is n continuing fact. 1t
is a fact today. There is not an in
telligent man in this broad land of
either party, who does not know that
Mr.. Cleveland is now President of
the United States by virtue of crimes
against the elective franchise, in
GLIDING murder. arson, ballot box
stufiing, forgery and perjury, but for
which james g. Blaine would now
be in his place, There has not been
moment since the adoption of the
fifteenth amendment when if there
could have been Il fair election for
President, a majority OF the constitu-
tional voters of at least five of the
Southern States would not have voted
for the Republican nominee.
THE poison of the success OF
these methods has already affected
the election in some of the great
cities OF the North, especially in Chi
cago and Cincinnati, where, under
the lead of Mackin and Tosney, the
criminal classes adopted some of the
meanest Of the crimes to control
elections. Why should they notY
II crime should be resorted to by
white Democrats of the South to
cheat and intimidate poor negroes in
the South, why should not white
Democrats of the North be permit
ted to resort to forgery and perjury
to peacefully change the result OF an
election in the NorthY Why dis
criminate against Mackin and Tos-
ney by sending them to the peniten-
tiary while sending Democrats of the
South, by means Of like offeuses, to
the Senate and the House and to
represent the great Republic in for
eigRa courts?
Zone duty think the Republican
party has not yet performed, and
Ohab 10 tuhI III states W0eTc III is
ascertained that free and orderly
elections for Senators and Repre-
eentatives in Congress cannot be had,
Congress should assert and exercise
its unquestioned power to regulate
the times, places and manner Of
holding such elections. This power
is.ss clearly conferred upon Congress
as the power to levy taxes or make
war, and, in my Judgment, the time
has arrived when it should be fully
and vigorously exercised. This pow
or has been asserted by the act of
1866, providing for the election of
Senators, and no complaint has ever
been made of it's constitutionality or
expediency, Ii has not been exer-
cised as to members of the House of
Representatives, from the strong de-
sire to avoid any interference with
popular elections in the States; but
the existence of the power has been
affirmed by the Supreme Court Of
the United States in the case ex